European countries are seeking to ensure at least one Iranian bank stays connected to the world after the US reimposed sanctions against the country, a French senator said in Tehran.

The United States pulled out of the landmark 2015 nuclear deal with Iran in May and has been reimposing sanctions on the Islamic Republic, targeting in particular its financial system.

The European efforts to help Iranians benefit from the nuclear deal despite the US sanctions is “difficult but it’s possible,” said French Senator Philippe Bonnecarrere, AFP reported on Monday.

One way was “to have at least one Iranian bank remain connected to the international banking system through SWIFT, to keep up commercial relations on goods or services that are not subject to sanctions,” he added.

Bonnecarrere, who heads the France-Iran Friendship Group in the upper house of Parliament, made the remarks during a news conference with French and Iranian counterparts.

The nuclear deal was agreed between Iran and the 5+1 group – UN Security Council permanent members Britain, China, France, Russia and the United States, plus Germany.

Bonnecarrere was in Iran with six other members of the French Parliament.

The visit was a sign of “all the determination and all the will of France to keep alive the nuclear agreement,” said lawmaker, Delphine O.

In late September, the European Union, which coordinated the talks leading to the agreement, said an initiative by the bloc to facilitate payment to and from Iran as part of efforts to save the nuclear deal could be in place before November.

EU foreign policy chief, Federica Mogherini, said, “The Special Purpose Vehicle [SPV]” was aimed at keeping trade with Tehran in the face of the bans.